Mike's Profile

Mike has a degree in Film from The University of Texas at Austin. He has worked in the entertainment industry for the past 25 years and sees two to four new movies in the theatre a week.
Mike has a weekly movie blog where he reviews films both present and past at:
lastonetoleavethetheatre.blogspot.com
He can be followed on Twitter @lastonetoleave

Source: Sony Pictures

Opening at a theatre near you:

Hotel Transylvania (2012)

Count Dracula has a daughter, Mavis, and moves her to an isolated area to protect her from humans. The Count opens a high-end resort so that all his monster friends can get away from the real world. Dracula’s worst nightmare happens; a teenage human shows up at the resort and he’s interested in dating Mavis. Hotel Transylvania website

What to Watch For: This is the first feature length film that Russian born Genndy Tartakovsky has directed. Tarakovsky is best known as the creator of the animated Television hits, “Dexter’s Laboratory” and “Samurai Jack.”

Word on the Street: Adam Sandler wrote several of the songs that appear in the film.

My View: The film has a strong cast with Adam Sandler as Dracula, Selena Gomez as Mavis, the daughter and Andy Samberg as the teen-aged boy, Jonathan. The film also stars Kevin James, Cee Lo Green and Luenell.

Looper (2012)

Source: Sony Pictures

This film is set in the future. When the mob wants to rub out someone, they send them 30 years in the past where Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is waiting to commit the perfect crime. The mob has a surprise for Joe, though. They are sending him his future, older self (Bruce Willis) to be killed. Will Joe do the deed? Looper website

What to Watch For: September has been a lousy month at the box office. Will this film be the one that brings audiences back to the movie theatre?

Word on the Street: The film has been getting great “word of mouth” and was the opening night film at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.

My Take: Joseph Gordon-Levitt has proven that he can do the action movie with the summer big hit, “The Dark Knight Rises” and 2010’s “Inception” and now he’s teamed up with Bruce Willis, a proven action star.

Pitch Perfect (2012)

Source: Universal Pictures

Music is Becca’s (Anna Kendrick) life, so much so that she wants to move to Los Angeles to become a music producer. Her professor, Father wants her to get an education first, so he makes a deal with Becca – stay at the university for one year and join at least one group activity. So Becca joins “The Bellas,” an all-female A Cappella group as they work to reach the A Cappella national championship. The only problem is their main competition for the prize is on their own campus, an all-male group called “The Treblemakers.” Pitch Perfect website

What to Watch For: First time feature film director, Jason Moore knows his way around a musical. He was nominated for a 2004 Tony Award as Best Director of a Musical for the Broadway hit, “Avenue Q.”

Word on the Street: As she did in last year’s “Bridesmaids” and this year’s “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” Rebel Wilson steals every scene she’s in.

My Take: The film has an incredible amount of songs and the performances are great; including Anna Kendrick, but the humor of this film is what makes this movie so enjoyable. Think of this film as a combination of “Glee” meets “Mean Girls.”

Won’t Back Down (2012)

Source: 20th Century Fox

Nona (Viola Davis) is a mother who works as a teacher in a failing inner city school. She decides to team up with another mother (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and fight the bureaucracy of the school system to improve their children’s lives. Won’t Back Down IMDB page

What to Watch For: Viola Davis’ appearance in this film should bring audiences to the box office, as she’s hot off her Oscar nomination for last year’s big hit, “The Help.”

My Take: The film is loosely based on real events that happened in California where a law was passed that allows parents to demand changes at under-performing schools, including sacking the staff.

If you can’t go to the theatre this weekend, stay at home and watch movies on CW69.

Sunday

1:00 pm

Roxanne(1987) Based on the play, “Cyrano De Bergerac” local fire chief, C.D. (Steve Martin), takes Chris (Rick Rossovich) under his wing to help him woo the beautiful Roxanne (Daryl Hannah). The problem is Chris can’t talk to women and C.D. is secretly in love with Roxanne.

3:00 pm

Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005) The Baker family returns, headed by Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt, as the parents, Tom and Kate. The family goes on vacation, but their plans are soon ruined by a rival family headed by Eugene Levy.